The mysterious murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer at the Cricket World
Cup has raised concerns about security arrangements for the 2010 Fifa
World Cup.
But Police Commissioner Andre Pruis, the man in charge of World Cup security,
is confident that with all the partnerships being built, safety during
2010 is guaranteed.
In an exclusive interview with The Star, Pruis, who helped plan the 1995
Rugby World Cup, the 2003 Cricket World Cup and various other global events,
on Tuesday shared some of his team's intricate security plans.
Forums have even speculated that 2010 could fail because of crime
These include a dedicated police station in each host city, surveillance
planes in the skies, and international police officers from each participating
country.
Police have given themselves nine months to complete their operational
plans, which have already been three years in the making. They are to
start running simulator tests at specially picked local games next year.
On top of their annual budget, they have also begun spending R600-million,
most of which will be used to buy equipment ranging from light aircraft
to hundreds of kilometres of retractable fencing.
Every host city will have one dedicated 2010 police station, modified
to accommodate separate holding cells, a courtroom for speedy judgments
and a home affairs office for possible deportations.
Johannesburg's Central police station and Bloemfontein's Park Road station
have already been selected.
'You import the world's problems into your country'
And each stadium could have 64 or more public-order police officers on
guard, with support from international police officers as well as guards
and marshals from the local security industry.
Grave concerns have been raised about how the country's crime will affect
the event, and angry websites and forums have even speculated that 2010
could fail because of crime.
"With such an event you import the world's problems into your country,"
Pruis admits. "But I am very positive and feel good about the operational
plans and the commanders (who will manage the police units)."
The growing threat of terrorism, Pruis added, was being taken into account.
"We are 100 percent on top of it," he assured.
Pruis's team is considering buying four PC-12 planes - with video cameras
feeding live footage to ground officers - to watch over the World Cup
from the skies.
Other equipment being bought includes mobile command centres, water cannons,
crime-scene trailers, new armour for vehicles and new tools needed for
the bomb squads.
All equipment purchased, Pruis hastened to explain, will be used after
the World Cup.
The R600-million was given to the police by the government to spend on
World Cup security during the current financial year. In 2010, 30 000
dedicated police officers will be deployed in host cities.
To supplement the 45 000 reservists currently serving in the country,
Pruis hopes for 50 000 more to be recruited by 2010.
Each stadium will have one or two mobile police centres, kitted out with
hi-tech monitoring equipment and computer systems to, for example, run
checks on people's identities.
International police officers from every playing country will wear their
country's uniforms and will help to communicate with visitors and spot
dangerous situations, Pruis explained.
Later this year, Pruis will meet with Interpol to finalise access to databases
of dangerous and unwanted visitors, such as soccer hooligans, organised
criminals or terrorists.
It is hoped that once threats are identified, their countries will be
convinced to forbid them to travel.
"We will tell them that they won't be allowed into South Africa,"
Pruis said.
